Semiconductor products are formed from semiconductor substrates within and upon which are formed semiconductor devices. The semiconductor devices are connected with patterned conductor layers that are separated by dielectric layers.
Common in the semiconductor product fabrication art is the use of field effect transistor devices as switching devices in both logic semiconductor products and memory semiconductor products. A field effect transistor device comprises a semiconductor substrate having formed thereover a gate electrode that defines a channel region within the semiconductor substrate. The channel region in turn separates a pair of source/drain regions within the semiconductor substrate.
A continuing goal within semiconductor product fabrication is the design and development of field effect transistor devices with enhanced performance. It is towards that object that the present invention is directed.
Various methods have been disclosed within the semiconductor product fabrication art for forming field effect transistor devices with enhanced performance. Included but not limiting among the methods are those disclosed within: (1) Shields et al., in U.S. Pat. No. 6,350,696 (a sequential anisotropic etching method and isotropic etching method for forming a spacer layer within a field effect transistor device); (2) Hui et al., in U.S. Pat. No. 6,461,923 (a related sequential anisotropic etch method and isotropic etch method for forming a spacer layer within a field effect transistor device); (3) Lai et al., in U.S. Pat. No. 6,492,235 (an additional related sequential anisotropic etch method and isotropic etch method for forming a spacer layer within a field effect transistor device); and (4) Riley et al., in U.S. Pat. No. 6,492,275 (an additional related sequential anisotropic etch method and isotropic etch method for forming a spacer layer within a field effect transistor device).
Desirable are additional methods for forming field effect transistor devices with enhanced performance. It is towards the foregoing object that the present invention is directed.